Plastic protectors for sheet material, book and magazine covers, and the like



July 30, 1963 G. w. SMITH 3,099,464

PLASTIC PROTECTORS FOR SHEET MATERIAL, BQOK AND MAGAZINE COVERS, AND THELIKE Filed Aug. 1. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. GENE W. SMITH TORNEY.

July 30, 1963 G. w. SMITH 3,099,464

PLASTIC PROTECTORS FOR SHEET MATERIAL, BOOK AND MAGAZINE COVERS, AND THELIKE Filed Aug. 1. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 'FEENE W. SMITHATTORNEY.

United States Patent LIKE Gene W. Smith, 5008 La Canada Blvd, La Canada,Calif. Filed Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,666 15 Claims. (Cl. 281-20) Thisinvention relates to reusable protectors for sheet material and moreparticularly to a transparent plastic protector of simple, inexpensiveconstruction specially adapted to be readily assembled to file cards,drawings, leaflets, magazine covers, book covers and the like to protectthe same against soiling and damage through handling.

Public reading rooms, salesmen, mechanics, artisans and many others haveneed for displaying printed material, working drawings, sales literatureand other material without interference with the legibility of theprinting and while protecting it from soiling and damage by handling. Asimilar need exists in reading rooms, the classroom, and elsewhere toprotect book and magazine covers. Various expedi-ents have been proposedheretofore to meet these needs but none have the versatility,convenience and economy, or afford the degree of protection desired in asatisfactory product of this type. In most instances the protectorsheretofore provided are specifically designed for a particularapplication and are not readily adaptable to other operatingenvironments without substantial changes in design. Furthermore, priorprotectors are characterized by their prohibitive cost, unnecessary bulkand the need for special skill or equipment for assembly to the materialto be protected.

In view of the foregoing and numerous other disadvantages andshortcomings of the protective covers heretofore provided there isprovided by the present invention an unusually simple, easily-employedand highly versatile protector readily adapted to be assembled toprinted material in a wide variety of forms including both singlesheets, folders, file folders, booklets, magazines, as Well as to bookshaving stiff covers of differing thicknesses, as well as to looseleafbinders having hardboard covers held together by posts, metal staplesand other expedients.

According to one mode of practicing the invention there is provided astiff mounting stripgummed along one lateral edge portion only andadapted to be secured to the cover of a magazine, a book or to the backof a folded sheet, it merely being necessary in all cases to secure thefree ungummed edge of the mounting strip parallel and contiguous to thehinge of the material to be protected. Once this strip is secured inplace, a folded plastic doublet protector is assembled to this mountingstrip by inserting the ungumm ed edge of the mounting strip in thegroove of the ovenfolded lateral edge portion of the doublet. Thereafterthe remainder of the plastic protector is fitted about the outer andinner surfaces of the cover to be safeguarded, it being understood thatthe size of the prefolded doublet protector is selected to correspondwith the size of the cover or sheet to be protected. Preferably bothcovers or halves of the sheet to be protected are similarly enclosedusing separate mounting strips and separate plastic doublets for eachcover or each half of the material.

Another feature of the construction is the (fact that the doubletprotector is provided with a slot in its overfolded edge of a size toaccommodate an indexing tab mounted astride the edge of the sheetmaterial being enclosed. If desired, the index tab may be looselymounted astride the sheet as the sheet is being inserted within theprotector with the result that, once assembled, the protector locks theindex accessory in assembled position. Accordingly, if desired, the sameaccessory may be re- 3 ,099,464 Patented July 30, 1963 "ice 2 moved andreused any number of times with other sheet material.

Another feature of the doublet protector is the fact that the protectorproper is made from a single piece of transparent flexible plasticmaterial. Once assembled about a drawing or the cover of a magazine, allsurface areas of both the interior and exterior sides of the cover ordrawing being covered are fully exposed. This is particularly true ifthe mounting strip is formed of transparent plastic material, as ispreferable, and if transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive is employedin holding it secured to the drawing or cover being protected.

According to another variant of the invention mounting strips may bedispensed with as Where the sheet material being protected comprises afile folder, drawing or the like folded along one center line andappropriately slit in the manner and for the purposes to be disclosedherein below.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is the provisionof a simplified inexpensive protective folder for sheet material adaptedto be readily assembled to material to be protected and thereaftertransferred and reused on other similar material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a transparentplastic protector for drawings, leaflets, booklets, magazines and bookswith stiff covers and adapted to be held assembled thereto by the aid ofa narrow mounting strip securable to the material adjacent one lateraledge thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pre-foided plasticdoublet protector adapted to be held assembled to sheet material by theengagement of an overturned edge of the protector and likewise adaptedto look an index tab temporarily assembled to an edge of the materialbeing protected so long as the protector is in place thereover, theprotector and indexing tab being reusable repeatedly on other sheetmaterial at the users option.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedmethod of protecting the covers of notebooks, magazines and the like andeffective to reinforce and supplement the strength of such covers whileleaving both obverse and reverse surfaces fully exposed to view.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a thin flexibleplastic protector adapted to be quickly and easily assembled about sheetmaterial and adapted to be retained in intimate contact with suchmaterial by electrostatic attraction provided as by momentary briskrubbing of the protector.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel method ofprotecting photographs, sales literature, and the like Withoutdefacement of the photo or the face of the printed matter and whileleaving the complete contents of the protector exposed to view.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which preferred embodiments of theinvention are illustrated:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of one preferred embodiment of theinvention and indicating the manner in which the doublet protector isassembled to the front and rear covers of a booklet;

FIGURE 1-A is an end view on an enlarged scale of one of the mountingstrips prior to being mounted on sheet material;

FIGURE 2 is an end view on an enlarged scale according to FIGURE 1showing the protector (for the front cover fully assembled and the rearcover protector in the final stage of the assembly;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of theinvention wherein the contents of the protector comprises a singlefolded sheet, the view representing the doublet protectors for the twohalves of the file card in the process of assembly;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of the FIGURE 3 embodiment and the mannerin which it is assembled to retainer tabs integral with the sheet beingcovered;

\FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the invention according toFIGURES 3 and 4 showing the protector fully assembled to one of theretainer tabs;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view partly in section on an enlarged scaleshowing details of the indexing tab and the manner in which it is helddetachably assembled to the file card so long as the protector is inplace;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line77 on FIGURE 5;

'FIGURE 8- is a perspective view showing the further modification of theprotector in the process of being assembled to a folded sheet;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale showing oneprotector assembled to a folded sheet with the interior flap of theprotector locked closed;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 10'10 onFIGURE 9; and

FIG. 11 is a small scale perspective view of a hinged connector andusable in lieu of the mounting strips employed in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring first to FIGURES l and 2, a first preferred embodiment of theinvention is shown in the process of being assembled to the covers of abooklet or magazine 14 having the usual front and rear covers 1 and 12connected to one another along the hinge 13. The cover is held assembledto the interior pages by a suitable binding, as for example, by staples15. It will be understood that the booklet or magazine is merelyrepresentative of either a single folded sheet or of multiple sheetbound material including material having both soft and hard covers,notebooks, looseleaf binders and the like. It will also be recognizedthat it is immaterial whether the sheet material being protected isbound to other material since the sheets to be protected by the presentinvention may include sheet material of any kind including single sheetdrawings, photos, maps and miscellaneous printed material generally, aswill be'better appreciated as the desecription of the invention proceedsand its essential principles are pointed out.

The protector component proper of the first preferred embodimentincludes one or more mounting strips 18 and one or more protectordoublets 20. Both components are preferably made from the same material,as for example, thin, hard, smooth-surfaced, abrasion resistant,transparent plastic material of which numerous commercially availablecompositions are suitable. Preferably, a thermosetting material isemployed since this is easily formed and creased while heated to retaina permanent set in a desired configuration. Sheet plastic having athickness of a few mils is preferred since it is light in weight,inconspicuous in bulk, economical, and provides highly satisfactoryprotection for both thin paper and hardboard covers and yet has adequatestrength to supplement and provide desirable protection for magazinecovers and the like light paper stock.

Mounting strips 18 are here shown as extending for substantially thefull length of binge '13. However, it will be apparent that the mountingstrips may be cut in shorter lengths and spaced at intervals along thecovers adjacent the hinge following the same general procedure to bedescribed presently in connection with the mounting of full lengthstrips. Desirably, mounting strips 18 are formed of stiffer materialthan doublets 20 and may comprise plastic, fiberboard or reasonablystiff paper stock. The mounting strips are provided with a narrow bandof adhesive 22 confined toone lateral edge portion of the strip leavingthe other edge port-ion 23 free of adhesive 4 for a width somewhat inexcess of the depth of the groove formed therefor in protector 2t).Adhesive 22 may be of the water soluble type or the pressure-sensitivetype. As is clearly apparent from FIGURES 1 and 2, mounting strips 18are secured to the front and rear covers 11 and 12 of the leaflet withthe rear free edge 23 of the strip parallel and closely spaced to theaxis of hinge 13.

Referring to FIGURE 1-A, it is pointed out that the strip 22 of adhesiveapplied along one edge of mounting strip "18 may be either water solubleor pressure-sensitive. in the latter case, it is desirable to cover theouter surface with a thin protective strip 22a of inexpensive materialreadily separable from the pressure-sensitive layer 22. To facilitateremoval of protective or guard strip 22a, the latter is made wider thanthe band of pressure-sensitive material to provide a pull tab 22b alongone edge easily lifted by the fingernail and grasped between the usersthumb and finger.

Doublets 20, 2th for a given magazine or booklet are identical and havea folded size corresponding generally to that of the cover or materialto be enclosed and protected. Actually the full size of the unitarypiece of material used in forming the protectors is greater than thecombined interior and exterior surface areas of the cover by a smallamount corresponding to the area of the overturned lateral edge strip 25employed to form seating groove 26-. Each doublet protector is thus seento comprise a front sheet 27 connected to the rear or inner sheet 28 bya reversely folded hinge 29 and, in addition, the overturned lateraledge strip 25 integral with the free edge of front sheet 27. Asmanufactured, the transparent sheet material is preformed with the twohinges along the opposite lateral edges of front sheet 27 with backsheet 28 lying flush against the rear side of sheet 27. If desired, thedoublets may be punched along the lateral edges with holes 32 to permitbinding of the ma terial in a looseleaf or post-type binder.

The manner of assembling the doublet protector to a magazine or othermaterial to be protected will be readily apparent from the foregoingdescription of the construction and the relationship of its componentsto one another. Assuming that it is desired to mount the protector onboth the front and rear covers of the booklet or magazine 14, theoperator first secures mounting strip 18 to the covers in the mannerdescribed in detail above. Once these strips are firmly in place and theadhesive has taken a set, the operator unfolds one of the doublets 20'to the position shown in FIGURE 1 and inserts the free rear lateral edgeportion 23 of one of the mounting strips within seating groove 26 of theprotector formed along the free edge of front sheet 27. The Width ofgroove 26 is negligible and less than the thickness of the mountingstrip with the result that the opposite sides of the seating groove forma snug frictional fit with the contacting surfaces of the mountingstrip. When the free edge of the mounting strip is fully seated ingroove 26, hinge 29 will lie directly opposite the forward edge of cover11. The operator merely lifts the cover and folds interior sheet 28 ofthe doublet smoothly against the interior surface of the cover so thatthe free edge 30 of sheet 28 will lie closely adjacent cover hinge 13.Since in the relaxed normal positions sheets 27 and 28 of the doublettend to lie closely adjacent one another, they will naturally lie flushagainst the opposite surfaces of the cover whenever this cover is.lifted away from the interior contents of the booklet. The assembly ofthe second mounting strip and the rear cover protector is accomplishedin the same manner described above for front cover 11.

T o be noted is the fact that when the doublet protectors are in theirassembled positions, the entire surface areas of the cover are fullyprotected both interiorly and ex teriorly. Furthermore, the clear andtransparent nature of the protector leaves all surface areas of thecover fully exposed to view. In fact, the protector enhances theappearance of the material due to its smooth, glossy appearswee e ance.Since it lies fully flush with the cover surfaces and remains theredespite flexing of the cover page, it gives the impression of beingadherent to (the cover surfaces. Nevertheless, the protector is quicklyand readily removable and transferable to another booklet after there isno longer need for it on the prior booklet. Thus, the protector isreusable repeatedly, it merely being necessary to use new mountingstrips 18 for each assembly op eration.

A second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 4 to 7 employsessentially the same doublet protector construction 20 dmcribed above inconnection with FIGURES 1 and 2. The protector differs only in theprovision of an elongated cutout or slot 35 directly along hinge 29 toreceive and fit over tab 36 of an indexing accessory 37. This accessorycomprises a tab 36 firmly affixed centrally to the crest of a U shapedmountof greater length than tab 36. The interior facing surfaces ofstrips 38 may but need not be coated with an adhesive to secure thestrips astride the edge of the sheet materim being indexed. When theindexing accessories 37 are employed vvith the present invention, theadhesive on the interior surfaces of strip 38 need not be used owingillO cooperative action of the doublets in holding them in place on thepage edge. Accordingly, it is merely necessary to place the U-shapedstrips 38 astride the edge of the page in the proper position for tab 36to project through slot 35. Once the assembly operation is completed, itwill be recognized that the indexing accessory is positively locked inassembled position.

Whenever it is desired to transfer the indexing accessory along withprotector 20 to other subject matter or to substitute one indexingaccessory for another, it is merely necessary to open the protector torelease the indexing accessory. Although such an accessory is not shownin the embodiment of FIGURES :1 and 2, it will be understood that onecan be used by the simple expedient of forming a receiving slot 35 inthe appropriate position along hinge 29 of protector 20. If desired, theedge of the sheet may be provided with inconspicuous marks 39 spaceduniformly therealong and corresponding with different standard locationsof slots 35 in the doublets.

The sheet being protected in FIGURES 3 to 7 comprises a unitaryrectangular sheet of material 40' creased along its transverse medialline to provide a hinge 41 connecting the two halves of the sheet. Inaddition, sheet 40 is provided with two pairs of tabs 42, 43 formeddirectly from sheet 40 and having the shape and general dimensionsclearly indicated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 8. The free edges of each of tabs42, 4-3 is substantially coincident with hinge 41 and the opposite endsof the tabs are sufficiently long as to permit tabs 42, 43 to fit easilywithin groove 26' provided by the turned-back lateral edge 25 of doublet20'. As shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and '5, flap 25 is free of slitsthroughout its length, as is true of the FIGURES 1 and 2 construction.

The protectors 20' are assembled to the opposite halves of the filefolder or other sheet material 40 to be covered in the manner bestillustrated in FIGURES 3 land 4. For example, folder 40 is foldedsubstantially closed while the two tabs 42 on one of the folder halvesis flexed outwardly to seat within groove 26' of protector 20 after thelatter has been opened in the customary manner. FIGURE 3 illustrates theposition of the parts after one pair of the tabs 43 has been seatedwithin the groove 26, attention being called to the fact that only theportion of strip 25' corresponding to the length of tabs 43 is thenpositioned or exposed on the inner side of folder 4f), the remaininglength of strip 25 being confined to the opposite or outer side offolder 40. This is further indicated in FIGURE which is a view takenfrom the interior side of the assembly and showing in full lines theexposed interior portion of strip 25, the remainder of the strip orturned-back portion appearing in dotted ing strip 38 line toindicateitis on the reverse or outer side of folder 40. The next step is to placeindex accessory 37 astride the free edge of the folder in position forits tab 36 to project through slot 35. After this assembly operation hasbeen completed, it remains to fold the interior sheet 28' of thedoublet'inward-ly to lie flush against the surface of folder 40 with itsfree edge 30" lying closely against folder hinge 41. Thereafter theother half of folder 40 maybe similarly covered with a second doubletprotector 20' if the user so wishes. If not, this half of the folder isleft unprotected.

Although sheet 40 has been referred to, in the description of FIGURES 3to 7, as a file folder usually formed of manila paper or the likerelatively stiff paper, it will be understood that sheet 40 may comprisea bro? chure, machine shop drawing, a road map, or printed material ofany character, and that the folding and slitting of the central portionof the sheet to for-m tabs 42, 43 does not interfere with thereadability of'these portions owing to the fact that in the openposition of the folder these areas are fully exposed and readablethrough the transparent portions of strips 25'.

In the third embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 8 to 10, the folder ormaterial to be protected, designated generally 40, is identical with thefolder described in FIGURES 3 to 7. The transparent plastic doublet 20is also identical with that described in connection with FIGURES 3 to 7with the exception that the overturned strip 25" is slit transversely atspaced intervals to form locking tabs 45 directly opposite andcorresponding generally in size and length to tabs 42 and 43 of thesheet material. The doublets 20" are assembled to sheets 40 in exactlythe same manner described above except that the slitting of strip 25'permits tabs 45 to be used to embrace the interior free edge 30" ofinner sheet 28 in the manner clearly illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10.Accordingly, the protector is not only locked to sheet 40 but its innerfree edge 30 is held firmly locked in assembled position. a

In summary, it is also pointed out that in a further obvious variant ofthe invention the mounting strips 18, 18 of the FIGURE 1 embodimentcould be secured to the opposite edges of a hinged strip unit having thegeneral construction shown in FIGURE 1 1 and being suitable for use toembrace the thin magazine-s, pamphlets, folded drawing sheets and thelike. Such a unit functions exactly in the manner described withreference to FIGURES 1 and 2 except that it is unnecessary for the userto secure the mounting strips directly to the cover of the materialbeing protected.

The hinge accessory is of generally W-shape in crosssection, the outerpair of legs 18' providing mounting strips seatable in grooves 26 of thedoublet protectors 20. The two center legs of the strip form a V-shapedhinge strip 48 and are formed of suitable material such as stiffenedfabric, plastic or the like. The hinge unit may be folded from a singlepiece of material but in this event it is desirable that the junctionsof legs 18" with the hinge section 48 be cemented together as isindicated at 22 thereby to hold strips 18 closely against the leaves ofhinge section 48. It will be understood that this hinge strip willembrace the hinged edge of the folded sheet, booklet or other materialto be covered and that no fastening means need be used to hold it to thematerial since friction and the close fitting dimensions of theprotectors will serve to hold it detachably in assembled position.

It is also pointed out that the plastic material preferably used inmaking the protectors of this invention has a pronounced characteristicfor acquiring and retaining an electrostatic charge when rubbed lightlywith the hand or with a dry cloth. This charge is then highly effectivein holding the plastic firmly adherent to itself and particularly to anintervening sheet of paper or the like.

. 7 The composite assembly then exhibits properties of a laminatedassembly, as is highly desirable.

While the particular plastic protectors for sheet material, book andmagazine covers, and the like herein shown and disclosed in detail arefully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantageshereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention andthat no limitations are intended to the details of construction ordesign herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A readily removable cover protector for pamphlets, file folders andthe like comprising a mounting strip adapted to be secured to the hingededge of the cover to be protected with the exposed free edge of saidstrip parallel and closely spaced to said hinged edge, and a onepieceflexible sheet plastic protector having a folded size slightly largerthan the cover to be enclosed and protected thereby, said protectorbeing folded back onto itself along one medial axis, one free lateraledge of said protector having a narrow portion thereof folded back onitself to provide a deep groove for receiving the free edge of saidmounting strip with the adjacent outer portion of said protector lyingflush against the exterior surface of said cover and the inner portionof said protector lying flush against the interior surface of said coverand substantially coextensive therewith.

2. That improvement in the protection of magazines and the like coverswhich comprises afiixing one lateral edge only of a doublet protectormounting strip to the cover of a magazine leaving the other edge portionof the strip parallel and closely spaced to the cover hinge, andthereafter assembling a transparent plastic doublet protector about thecover, said doublet being substantially the same size as the cover andhaving one lateral edge folded back onto itself to form a deep groove,inserting the free edge of said mounting strip within the deep groovefor frictional retention therein to hold the outer half of said doubletagainst the outer surface of the cover being protected, and folding theinner half of the doublet flush against the inner surface of the cover.

3. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in similarly andsequentially applying a doublet protector to both the upper and thelower cover halves of the magazine.

4. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that saidmounting strips are of stiif material and coated with adhesive along onelateral edge portion thereof, said adhesive being effective to hold saidmounting strip firmly aflixed to the magazine cover along a narrow bandparallel to but spaced inwardly from the hinge of the cover.

5. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that saiddoublet protector is of transparent material and leaves exposedtherethrough all printed matter appearing on both the outer and innersurfaces of the cover while protecting both surfaces from contact andsoiling by the hands of readers.

6. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that saiddoublet protector has a slot in the folded edge thereof embracing thefree edge of the magazine cover, applying an indexing unit having anindex tab astride the edge of the magazine cover; inserting saidprojecting index tab through said slot, and holding said indexing unitin position astride the edge of said cover by portions thereof extendingin opposite directions beyond the ends of said slot.

7. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that saiddoublet protector is formed of thin plastic material having the propertyof acquiring and retaining an electrostatic charge by rubbing thesurface thereof, and utilizing said static charge to hold said protectorclosely and firmly adherent to sheet material in direct cont-acttherewith.

8. That improvement in protecting drawings, data sheets and the like,said improvement comprising folding the sheet to be protected in half toprovide a transverse medial hinge, securing similar strips of gummedmounting strips along one lateral half only to the exterior of saidfolded sheet along bands parallel to but spaced in- Wardly from saidhinge and with the free edges of said strip close to and substantiallycoextensive with said hinge, and thereafter assembling separatetransparent plastic protectors to the two halves of said sheet material,said protectors being of the folder type having one lateral edge turnedback on itself to form a deep groove, the free edge of said gummedstrips being seated in the deep groove of each protector and theremainder of said protector embracing and enclosing separate halves ofsaid folded sheet material.

9. Removable and reusable protectors for sheet material folded along atransverse median axis, said protectors comprising a pair of identicalplastic doublets formed in one piece and folded along a median hingeaxis and having one lateral edge of one sheet folded back on itself toprovide a deep groove, and a hinged connector for said pair of doublets,said connector being W-shaped in cross-section, and the free ends of theouter legs of said connector being seatable within the said deep groovesof said doublets to cooperate therewith to provide a protectiveenclosure for sheet material hinged along its transverse medial axis andhaving a folded width substantially that of said doublets.

10. A hinged connector for a pair of similar protector doublets forassembly about the respective corners of a magazine or the like, saidconnector being of W-shape in cross-section with its two outer legsbeing adapted to be seated with the turned back lateral edges of therespective protector doublets, and the binding edge of the magazinebeing nestable with the center V-shaped recess of said W-shapedconnector.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a hinge assembly for use inholding a pair of similar doublet cover protectors assembled to thecovers of a magazine, booklet, singly folded drawing and the like, saidhinge assembly comprising an elongated strip of stiff but bendablematerial of W-shape in cross section, the apex interconnecting the twoadjacent inner legs of said strip forming a hinge section adapted toembrace the hinging portion of material to be protected by said doubletcover protectors, and the two outer legs of said strip being adapted tobe inserted in oomplementally shaped seating grooves therefor of saiddoublet cover protectors.

12. An article of manufacture for use in detachably holding a flexibleplastic protector to sheet material, which protector is of the typehaving a narrow mounting strip integral with one lateral edge of theprotector and lying closely against one surface thereof, said articlecomprising an elongated strip of stiff material having a narrow strip ofbonding material adherent to one edge portion thereof, said bondingmaterial being effective in securing said strip to sheet material andlying flush thereagainst with the unbonded free edge of said stripcooperating with the sheet material to provide a groove adapted to seatthe mounting strip of a plastic protector.

13. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 12 characterized inthat said bonding material comprises a thin layer of pressure-sensitiveadhesive, and a guard strip temporarily and lightly attached to theouter surface of said adhesive, said guard strip having a pull tabextending laterally beyond said adhesive and by which said strip can begrasped and readily separated from said adhesive prior to theapplication of the article of manufacture to sheet material.

14. An article of manufacture suitable for use in protecting drawings,photos and the like comprising a folder creased along its medial axis,means disposed closely adjacent and parallel to said crease providing apair of retaining grooves on the exterior surface of said folder,

and a pair of similar doublet protectors of thin sheet plastic materialadapted to be assembled to each half of said folder, each doublet havinga folded-over strip along one lateral edge adapted to fit into and befrictionally retained in one of said retainer grooves, and the innerhalf of said doublet being folded against the interior surface of theassociated folder half.

15. The article of manufacture defined in claim 14 characterized in thatat least one of said grooves is formed by a strip of material adhesivelyattached to the outer surface of said folder along the inner edge onlyof said strip, the outer edge of said strip adjacent said folder creasebeing free and unattached and cooperating with the juxtaposed foldersurface in forming said retainer groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,114,944 Thomas Apr. 19, 1938 2,260,407 Schade Oct. 28, 1941 3,009,465Smith Nov. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 110,143 Australia Mar. 14, 1940690,550 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1953

1. A READILY REMOVABLE COVER PROTECTOR FOR PAMPLHLETS FILE FOLDERS ANDTHE LIKE COMPRISING A MOUNTING STRIP